How to get started as a Powder Brows Artist (Based on Expert Advice)
Author: Holistic PMU Research Center, fact-checked and reviewed by an expert panel.
Contributor: Siiri Tabri
Don’t make it harder for yourself.
Starting your journey as a young artist in the powder brows business can feel overwhelming. But navigating this complex landscape without a strategy is a surefire way to hinder your success. This article offers essential guidelines to help you build a solid game plan.
“When you don’t measure your activities, you often do “meta-level analysis” to gain “overall market information,” which is a fancy term for endlessly scrolling through social media, also known as “doom-scrolling.””
Background
Regarding marketing, some artists fare significantly better than others—even outperforming those with more experience. While we've discussed this subject before, today we're taking a different approach. The recommendations in this article are based on insights we've gathered from interviews with 32 seasoned PMU artists. These experts have reached a professional level in Powder Brows and pigmentation as a whole. Interestingly, they all transitioned into the pigmentation field from non-pigmentation or non-tattooing-related fields, meaning most had no prior experience in the industry.
”Underdogs”
Research shows that breaking into the top earners in this field is quite challenging, especially for newcomers. Specifically, compared to the overall number of students entering Powder Brows and microblading classes, the likelihood of becoming a top earner is only around 3.5%. So, it's fair to say that these seasoned artists were once the underdogs in their respective fields. We've developed a strategy plan from their insights in interviews. This plan should be helpful not just for beginners but also for experienced artists looking to compete effectively.
Base Strategy
Long-Term View
A common issue with many new artists is the absence of a long-term strategy. While this might sound like a cliché you'd find in business books or motivational talks, it has real implications. In the world of Powder Brows and pigmentation, not having a long-term plan usually means that the artist starts doing whatever brings in quick money with no future considerations in mind.
An Effective Long-Term Plan
So, what does an effective long-term plan entail? Simply put, it means focusing on daily tasks while keeping the artist's brand in mind. Every choice made regarding marketing campaigns, special deals, or offers should serve two purposes. First, they should be immediately beneficial, and second, they should align with the artist's long-term brand values. This also means setting certain boundaries, including those related to pricing. For instance, if there's no active campaign or specific need for a model, the artist should be willing to say "no" to a client asking for a discount for no legitimate reason. In such cases, refusing a random discount strengthens the artist's brand instead of weakening it through inconsistent pricing.
Niche Focus
Another key to success is maintaining a focused approach, particularly when entering the market. Many new artists make the mistake of comparing themselves to established artists with diverse portfolios, including various Powder Brows styles and perhaps even other services like lips and eyeliner. A new artist would require significant time and resources to emulate such a wide range. Moreover, to compete organically, a new artist must invest heavily in advertising to appear a viable choice against seasoned professionals who dominate the local market in multiple services.
Choose a Specific Focus Initially for a Winning Strategy
One effective approach for newcomers is identifying a subcategory, or even a fraction of a subcategory, where they can initially compete locally. As a starting artist, this involves analyzing the work of local artists in comparison to your own skill set and then strategically deciding where to make your initial impact.
For instance, you could focus on a particular style within Powder Brows, like Soft Powder Brows targeted at a specific age group. Or if you've trained in multiple areas, you might concentrate on a unique type of lip pigmentation like Aquarelle Lips. Once you've made that selection, you should deepen your knowledge in that particular area, continue self-training, and focus on it in your posts and marketing materials. We've discussed execution details in other articles.
Clear Differentiation
Starting with a narrow focus allows you to differentiate yourself within that niche. You can even develop and brand a signature style, giving it a unique name. However, be cautious not to choose a sub-category that's too specific where demand is virtually nonexistent. There should be at least some level of market demand for the service you opt to specialize in. When you find that you can compete successfully in this small niche and perhaps even outperform some seasoned artists, that's your cue to start branching out into other services.
While focusing on a specific area doesn't mean you should completely ignore other services—especially if there's a chance for upselling or natural customer demand—it does mean your initial marketing and brand-building should be laser-focused. Use any spare time you have to work on tasks related to your current niche. You can break these tasks down into minor activities that can be done in short bursts, even between client appointments. Examples of these activities include searching for potential 'unicorn' contacts, brainstorming branding ideas, checking for available domain names, or creating a short video reel or post related to your current focus.
Commitment to Hard Work
Side Hustle Considerations
Many new artists underestimate the time and energy needed to transition into a career in brow artistry. Learning the theoretical basics—like skin types, pigmentology, color metrics, needle types, various styles and techniques, restrictions, and aftercare—can be done as a side hustle while maintaining another job.
Taking It Full-Time
However, once you complete a course and earn a certificate, balancing a new brow business with a full-time job becomes incredibly difficult, especially without an existing customer base. Let's say you've been working from 9 AM to 7 PM and preparing for this career by studying online for months. Once you're certified, your chances of success are significantly higher if you can focus solely on your new business. You'll need enough funds to cover your living expenses until your new venture becomes profitable, which could take anywhere from 3 to 6 months, depending on various factors like market conditions and your specific niche.
Unfortunately, many pigmentation and Powder Brows training are marketed with the promise of "freeing you from your 9 to 6 job." These marketing pitches often fail to mention the significant time and resources you'll need to invest. As you can see, the reality is much more nuanced.
Financial Needs Extend Beyond Living Expenses
In previous articles, we've touched on the multiple roles an artist must play. It's not just about having enough money to cover your living expenses while you dedicate time to the business. You'll likely also need additional funding to outsource tasks that fall outside your skill set. These could include areas like copywriting, visual design, website development, and search engine optimization.
Evaluating Progress
Metrics for Long-Term Goals
Measuring progress is crucial, especially in alignment with your long-term brand-building strategy. If your ultimate goal is to be "the best artist in a particular category in your local area," you need to break that down into smaller, measurable objectives. These should be goals you can track monthly and even weekly.
Optimal Time Frames
Many successful artists recommend setting both monthly and weekly goals. This allows you to assess what has changed in a week's time and how it moves you closer to your long-term objectives. Experienced artists advise against focusing solely on monetary goals, especially when you're just starting out. This is primarily because income growth can be unstable and difficult to measure in the early stages.
Focus on Activity-Based Goals
Instead, direct your attention toward activity-based objectives. For example, you can set a goal for the number of new portfolio pictures you aim to produce or the number of contacts you wish to make in related fields. These "unicorn-type contacts" could be artists or professionals in areas that intersect with your target demographic and offer cooperation opportunities.
If setting even these activity-based goals seems challenging due to dependencies on other factors, consider narrowing your focus even more. For example, measuring the number of messages you send to potential "unicorns" may be ineffective if you're reaching out randomly. Such an approach could harm your brand rather than help it. Focus instead on metrics that directly contribute to your long-term goals without compromising your brand's integrity.
Dial Down to Controllable Metrics
When setting goals seems too complex or dependent on other factors, take a step back to identify what is directly under your control. For instance, if it takes an average of 20 minutes of research to find one potential "unicorn contact," set your goals based on that time frame. This level of analysis you can fully control, as it depends on how much time you're willing to invest.
Buffer Time for Hiccups
While scheduling your daily activities, allocate a buffer time to account for any unexpected issues. Many artists recommend reserving about 25% extra time for unforeseen tasks, such as client consultations about aftercare. You might also encounter last-minute client requests that are too valuable to pass up, even if you have other plans. So, investing extra time for positive and negative surprises is wise.
Why Plan at All?
You may wonder why to plan if "drawbacks" could throw off your schedule. While this concern is valid, not having a plan is even riskier. Without measuring activities and setting goals, the chances of achieving any significant results are nearly zero. Therefore, aim to plan your activities at least a week in advance and set somewhat flexible yet still measurable monthly goals.
Time Well Spent vs. Time Wasted
Finally, be mindful of how you spend your downtime. Many artists admit that much of their "idle" time isn't devoted to activities crucial for their business growth. Instead, they often engage in "meta-level research," which mainly involves scrolling through social media feeds without any real focus. This is essentially wasted time that could be better invested in your business.
Continuous Adjustment
As you track your progress toward your goals, you must regularly reassess the time needed for various tasks. Activities like content creation, portfolio editing, copywriting, and partner research usually require less time as you gain more experience. However, this isn't always the case; everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses.
When you hit a plateau in improving efficiency for specific tasks, it may be time to consider outsourcing. Remember that what's difficult for you might be easy for someone else. So, don't hesitate to delegate tasks that aren't your strong suit. Doing so lets you focus more on the activities where you truly excel, making your business more efficient overall.
Conclusions
The first step for artists starting in the powder brows business is to set a long-term goal. This should be achievable within 6 to 12 months. Next, focus on a niche that you enjoy and excel in. This will allow you to differentiate yourself from local competitors and make a name for yourself within that specific niche before expanding into others. Ensure the niche is small enough for you to dominate yet large enough to generate some organic business.
Secondly, don't underestimate the resources needed to make the transition from a stable job to becoming a full-time artist. As a rough guide, you should have enough funds to cover your living expenses for 3-6 months and your marketing costs for at least three months. Remember, when you're just starting out, it's unlikely that you'll have time for a side job due to the numerous tasks you'll need to complete.
Lastly, regularly assess your progress, ideally every week. Break down your larger goals into smaller, measurable tasks that are completely within your control. Also, plan for setbacks by allocating no more than three-quarters of your time for planned activities. If specific tasks are taking up too much time and not becoming more efficient, consider outsourcing them to free up your schedule for more impactful work.